2025 marks 200 years since the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, an event that heralded the beginning of the modern railway era. This year will see ‘Railway 200’ events taking place across the country to celebrate our railway system’s remarkable past, recognise its importance today, and look forward to its future.
The future success of the railways is a top priority for this government as it embarks on a once-in-a-generation overhaul of our railway system to kickstart growth, accelerate towards our net-zero goals, and free the untapped potential of our towns, cities, and businesses.
In the last few weeks I have held a number of meetings to discuss improvements to the railways and I have contributed to a consultation on the future of transport investment in the South East; I would like to update Reading Central constituents on my recent work in this area.
Train cancellations and delays are cause for frustration for many rail users, including myself. It was therefore a pleasure to recently welcome the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, to Reading Station to unveil a digital display screen with data showing how punctual trains are and the percentage of trains cancelled at each station. This is part of a new service which will be rolled out at over 1,700 stations and demonstrates the government’s commitment to transparency and to holding train operators to account.
I support investment in our rail infrastructure that will make long-distance travel by rail more convenient and appealing and will unlock sustainable growth opportunities. One such scheme is East West Rail, which will establish a direct route from Oxford to Cambridge. This will unlock the region’s potential by giving better access to jobs and education opportunities and bringing billions of pounds worth of growth to the Oxford-Cambridge region. I have recently held a meeting with senior representatives of East West Rail to discuss how the scheme could benefit residents and businesses in Reading.
East West Rail is just one of several rail infrastructure projects that are due to positively impact our area in the coming years; I also support the Western Rail Link to Heathrow that will significantly improve connectivity to Britain’s busiest airport and will provide significant economic benefits to the region. Important track renewal work in our area, such as on the line between Reading and Basingstoke, will also improve the reliability of our local rail services.
I have recently contributed my views on the Draft Transport Strategy developed by Transport for the South East (TfSE). The plan sets an ambitious vision for the region’s future, which I believe will positively impact my constituents in Reading Central as well as those living across the wider South East region.
More broadly, I share the Government’s commitment to delivering the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation by introducing reforms that will create stronger, more reliable railways that work for the people who use them. Within this Parliament, all passenger service operations will have completed the transition to being managed by Great British Railways. I am confident that by bringing together the management of track and train, we can strip out duplication, provide better value for the taxpayer and ensure that trains are turning up on time, with reliable and punctual services.
The Department for Transport is currently running an open consultation on its vision for ‘a railway fit for Britain’s future’. The consultation period began on 18 February and will run until 15 April 2025; all those who wish to contribute their views on the legislative programme that will transform our railways can find out more about this on the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/a-railway-fit-for-britains-future/a-railway-fit-for-britains-future
I wholeheartedly support the government’s objectives in this area, and I will continue to work with my parliamentary colleagues, local stakeholders, and Reading Borough Council to ensure we have a transport system that finally works in the interests of the public, businesses, and the environment.
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By MP Matt Rodda
